New Faculty: Justin Steinberg

2024 New Faculty

9/6/2024

Justin Steinberg

Professor, Philosophy

Academic focus:

Early modern philosophy, history of political thought, history of ethics

Current research project:

I am working on a book about individuation and social ontology among early modern naturalists, especially those who embrace some version of “plenum metaphysics,” according to which finite particulars are part of a single, continuous fabric. This work builds on my work on Hobbes and Spinoza, but also examines the theories of some less well-known naturalists, like Margaret Cavendish and Anne Conway, and examines the under-theorized metaphysical commitments of early modern republicans like James Harrington and Algernon Sidney.

Previous positions:

Professor, Department of Philosophy and Global Early Modern Studies, Graduate Center and Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2020-2024.
Associate Professor, Global Early Modern Studies, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 2019-2020
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 2017-2020
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2015-2020
Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2008-2015

Academic background:

Ph.D., Philosophy, Boston University, 2007
B.A., Philosophy, College of Wooster, 1999

Last book read:

“The Rest is Noise” by Alex Ross

In your own time/when not working:

Attending musical performances, watching films, going to art galleries, playing with my cat and my dog (usually not at the same time), running, hiking, watching soccer (or ‘football,’ if you’d prefer)

Courses you’re most looking forward to teaching:

All of them! I can usually find something that excites me about any course.

What most excites you about Cornell:

The students! I was a visitor at Cornell in 2021-2022 and I discovered how wonderful it is to teach this student body.

Website:

https://www.justinsteinberg.net/